Between oversimplifying and overcomplicating there is balance

I think that whether or not we realise this, we are all seeking balance. Some go to extremes to find a bit of peace, while others go through peace to find the extremities of the world.

There is much to say about acceptance and finding this place where as our own Self we can finally just Be. In fact, if I might suggest, it is a fine balance between over simplification and over complication !

Caught in constant questioning and turmoil I had figured that the best way to Be, was to accept things as they were and be content with how Life was presenting itself. Only, I was not respecting Life’s course rather I was closing my eyes to what it was telling me, to what it kept offering me.

Realising this a few years down the road was destabilizing: how could it be that after finding what I thought was peace I had instead being burying my head in the sand? And knowing this now, how do I go about Life understanding that what I may see as reality may in fact be the result of the full construct of my mind wanting me to see it this way?!

Heavy eh?! I know… but I think I’ve figured it out!!

Don’t stop questionning yourself, and here I don’t mean doubting, always move in constant awareness, open to Life, open to new opportunities. Take the time to recognize what it is you feel and how it makes you feel. Trust yourself, your gut feeling but above all, know that you are worth every little bit of “it” and that who ever you choose to surround yourself with, will also see “it”.

Trust your heart. Love, feel, heal, give, receive, be compassionate. Believe that you have what it takes to be you.

Namaste.

Learning to let go

Probably one of the hardest thing we ever need to learn to do is let go. We cherish memories of the past as they remind us of happier times and gives us hope in the future and that things will work out. A temporary fix however, as it distorts our vision of reality by hanging on to what was, and what we believe should be, instead of dealing with what is.

Let’s make this experiment as thought by Deepak Chopra: “Take a deep breath and hold it. Notice how you begin to feel when you are holding onto something that is meant to be released. Feel the increasing discomfort that builds as you resist the natural impulse to let go. Then, when it becomes too uncomfortable, release your breath and notice the immense relief that you feel.”

Holding on to anything when it is time to let go creates distress in your body and mind. Whenever you resist, your mind becomes anxious and your body becomes uncomfortable. Becoming aware of this resistance and the discomfort you feel is the first step in learning to let go.

In comparing personal relationships to eating food, Dr. Chopra says that we often ingest more emotional energy and information than we are capable of digesting. And so, he suggests that in order to maintain a healthy emotional life, we have to make choices and selectively absorb those aspects of the emotional experience that are nourishing, while accepting to release and eliminate those components that, if retained, could be toxic.

This is true not only of relationships but of life situations in general. Will mulling over what you should have said or done when that lady pushed you on the bus really make a positive difference in your day? What about the guy that cut you off on the road, are you still thinking about him? Why? At home, after your work day, are you thinking and stressing over all the things you have to do? Can you do anything about those at this moment? No, then let it go.

Yoga enables us to navigate more easily through those difficult times by connecting the physical body and the mind. Noticing the resistance, whether it is physical or psychological, is the first step. “Letting go” can then be done through Pranayama or breathing exercises. Once you start to become more aware of this essential link between body and mind, it also becomes easier (not easy!) to let go of things and move through life happier. Namaste.